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Monfils marches into Australian Open quarterfinals

France's Gael Monfils in action during his fourth round match against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. -- Reuters
France's Gael Monfils in action during his fourth round match against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. -- Reuters
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MELBOURNE: Gael Monfils's blistering start to the season continued on Sunday as he eased past Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 7-5 7-6(4) 6-3 to reach his second Australian Open quarter-finals.


With wife and top women's player Elina Svitolina beaming in the crowd, the flamboyant Frenchman lit up the Margaret Court Arena with sparkling shot-making to reach the last eight at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2016.


"It was really tough, he played extremely fast on both sides," said 17th seed Monfils. "I tried to be very aggressive today ... It was just battling, battling, hanging in there."


Monfils wrapped up the match with trademark panache, leaping high to thump a backhand crosscourt winner and end Kecmanovic's dream run since the Serb avoided a first-round clash against the deported world number one Novak Djokovic.


At 35 and recently married, Monfils has a new lease on life, and wants to go even further in the tournament.


"I want to do better .... We are not quite finished yet," he said.


Monfils will take on world number seven Matteo Berrettini for a semi-final spot after the Italian defeated Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets.


Monfils suffered a defeat in a five-set contest against Berrettini in their last Grand Slam meeting at the 2019 U.S. open quarter-finals.


"Matteo, a lot of confidence for last two years," Monfils said of Berrettini, who is nicknamed "The Hammer" on the tour for his thumping forehands.


"He played extremely aggressive, big serve, flashy tennis with the forehand.


"Last time I played him, I was a little bit, whatever you call it, unlucky or not. It was very tight, five-setter in quarters in a slam."


Australia's Ashleigh Barty in action during her fourth round match against Amanda Anisimova of the US. -- Reuters
Australia's Ashleigh Barty in action during her fourth round match against Amanda Anisimova of the US. -- Reuters


NADAL SURVIVES SCARE


Earlier, Rafael Nadal survived an epic 28-minute tiebreak to seal his spot in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and top seed Ashleigh Barty joined him with victory over giant-killer Amanda Anisimova on Sunday.


Nadal will now face Canada's 14th seed Denis Shapovalov after he stunned third seed and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev -- who said "everything" went wrong.


Nadal, who is chasing a men's record 21st Grand Slam title, was pushed all the way by Adrian Mannarino in an 81-minute first set before breaking the Frenchman's resolve in a 7-6 (16/14), 6-2, 6-2 victory.


"First set was very emotional," said the 35-year-old Nadal, the 2009 Australian Open champion, who pumped his fists after emerging victorious from a marathon first-set tiebreak on a steamy day in Melbourne.


Barty powers on


In the women's draw, home hope and world number one Barty thrilled the crowd by defeating 60th-ranked Anisimova 6-4, 6-3. The Australian faces another American, Jessica Pegula, in the last eight.


The 20-year-old Anisimova beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and was fresh from knocking out defending champion Naomi Osaka.


But she came up against a Barty who looks in irresistible form as she chases her first Australian Open crown.


Reminded that last year's Australian Open went behind closed doors mid-tournament because of Covid, Barty told an adoring Rod Laver Arena crowd that playing in front of them was "a lot more fun". -- Reuters/AFP


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